Let’s talk about the best white paint colors for your home.
What is it about white paint colors?
There’s no denying that white is in. White paint colors have been around for a long time and yet they are as popular as ever. Whether your painting kitchen cabinets white or your walls, there’s a white for everyone.
I started my quest for the perfect white paint color when we were planning our kitchen remodel in our Illinois house. I checked out a lot of whites but ultimately narrowed it down and shared some of my favorites in my 5 popular whites for kitchen cabinets post.
While they’re all pretty colors, I did end up finding a favorite out of the 5. One thing you need to know about me is that when I find something I love, I stick with it. I used my true love white on the kitchen cabinets, as well as the rest of the kitchen, and now use it in our little cottage. Before we get to my all-time favorite though, I want to share another pretty white I’ve used.
Sherwin Williams Alabaster
I can’t take credit for choosing this color because it was already in our house when we moved in. I had no idea what color it was until we started our fireplace makeover. The previous owner was nice enough to leave all of the old paint, so I was able to figure out what it was and color match it.
SW Alabaster is a soft, warm white. It’s a pretty color but if you’re looking for bright white, this isn’t it.
We also used it on the bathroom door. Actually most of the doors and trim are painted with SW Alabaster. I’ve changed a few rooms, like the powder room and guest bedroom we’re working on, but for the most part it’s all SW Alabaster.
So, what is my all-time favorite white paint color?
Benjamin Moore White Dove
I can’t get enough of it. It’s the perfect white for kitchen cabinets, ceilings, trim, bathroom vanities…
You get the idea.
In my book you can’t really go wrong with it. Just like SW Alabaster it’s a soft white. Actually, they’re very similar, but I prefer BM White Dove.
Our kitchen remodel in Illinois? The paint color turned out to be the main attraction. We painted the tongue and groove plank ceiling in a pearl sheen and the kitchen cabinets were done in a satin sheen, as was the trim. All of it in BM White Dove.
Because I loved how it looked in our Illinois kitchen, we have continued to use it in our new little cottage. Initially, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to use it in our new house. After all, lighting in a room plays a big part in how paint colors look in your house. I pulled all of my sample boards out when we moved in and I was thrilled to see that it looked just as good as it did in our old house.
The first test to see if it really worked was in the powder room we just finished. I used it on the plank walls, ceiling and trim. Even with no natural light it looks great.
The trim in the guest bedroom, the powder room barn door and the closet mirrored barn door all got the same treatment.
What can I say, I just love it.
So, how can you find your best white paint color out of all of the hundreds of options? You need to test some out…in the room that you want to use it in. Picking out a little paint chip in the store, without looking at it in your room, isn’t going to cut it.
What do I do?
I like to paint a sample on a large piece of poster board and then I put the board in the area that I want to paint. Keep it there a few days. Look at it in different light. I promise you’ll find your perfect match.
The best white paint colors…what are your picks?
There were a couple of huge holes in the walls from a smoke detector that was mounted in the middle of the wall (who does that?) and an old alarm system that didn’t work, so they were removed and the walls were patched. We, and when I say “we” I mean me, also wanted to change the vintage ceiling light for something bigger that would light up this dim space.
I switched some of the photos and frames around but everything I used I already had. The only purchase was the paint, and I have half of it left to do another space.
Just finishing this space, and having family photos out so that we can see them every day, has really made our new house feel like home. I’m excited to start the next project.
I had a few items on my “wish” list for the kitchen and built-in garbage/recycle bins was at the top. Now they are hidden away and I’m so happy with the way it turned out.
While all of the cabinet building was going on, I was working on the one thing that made the biggest difference in this small space, painting all of the kitchen cabinets. If you’ve ever done this then you know that it’s a monumental task. I will admit that, because of my back injury, it took me almost a year to finish, but I did it.
The subway tile backsplash with gray grout was next and, once it was all done, we knew that the end was in sight.
I also gave the back door a fresh coat of paint, BM Wrought Iron. It’s not black but a pretty dark gray and I love it. You can clearly see that the lighter gray of the door did not go with the Gray Owl on the walls and I couldn’t paint over it fast enough.
I’m trying to share pictures of the painted walls without giving you a complete reveal but it’s not an easy task when your kitchen is as small as mine.
Just a few more projects and I’ll be able to show you every inch. On the list is the installation of the recessed lights, painting the ceiling, painting the cabinet kicks and adding 3 cabinet doors (that are on order). Hopefully February will be a more productive month.
Once all of my doors were removed and numbered, I used a high grit sandpaper and sanded the front and back of each. Then I used a mixture of TSP and warm water to thoroughly wipe down the door to remove the dust from sanding and grease from cooking.
